EP3 exhaust sounding a bit fruity
Discussion
EP3 exhaust sounding pretty fruity!
Hey guys, I've got a 2005 EP3, with the standard exhaust on it, for now at least. All is well, bar one strange thing that perplexes me; when the exhaust is cold, for the first minute or so of driving, it has an incredible, raspy tone, that becomes most present between 2500-3500rpm, tailing off before 4000rpm, where I would not rev past on a cold engine anyway. It sounds like a motorbike, it really is a gorgeous noise, but like I say it only lasts a minute or so before it heats up and the noise returns to the normal EP3 hum-tone. If my car sounded like it does for that first minute, all the time, I'd be happy as Larry!
So my question is, what has created this noise? I bought the car at a second hand car dealership, so have not had contact with the previous owner. I was suspecting a possible decat as my car not only sounds a bit livelier than other EP3s I've heard on the standard exhaust system, it's also a little bit louder too. Alas, it was pissing down with rain this morning so I didn't get under the car to have a look for a decat pipe!
Is there anything else that could cause the noise? De-resonating the exhaust perhaps - a popular mod for Impreza owners while they are saving up for their exhaust systems I'm told. Maybe the baffling is loose / on the way out? Unfortunately, I don't think the exhaust is on the way out, which would be the perfect excuse to the missus to splash out on a Buddyclub or Spoon system!
Has anyone heard anything like this, or got any ideas as to what can cause it? I thought I would post this in the Jap forum and not just in the Honda forum since we get a bit more traffic through here, and I suppose this kind of effect could happen to all kinds of cars, not just CTRs.
Thanks
Dave
Hey guys, I've got a 2005 EP3, with the standard exhaust on it, for now at least. All is well, bar one strange thing that perplexes me; when the exhaust is cold, for the first minute or so of driving, it has an incredible, raspy tone, that becomes most present between 2500-3500rpm, tailing off before 4000rpm, where I would not rev past on a cold engine anyway. It sounds like a motorbike, it really is a gorgeous noise, but like I say it only lasts a minute or so before it heats up and the noise returns to the normal EP3 hum-tone. If my car sounded like it does for that first minute, all the time, I'd be happy as Larry!
So my question is, what has created this noise? I bought the car at a second hand car dealership, so have not had contact with the previous owner. I was suspecting a possible decat as my car not only sounds a bit livelier than other EP3s I've heard on the standard exhaust system, it's also a little bit louder too. Alas, it was pissing down with rain this morning so I didn't get under the car to have a look for a decat pipe!
Is there anything else that could cause the noise? De-resonating the exhaust perhaps - a popular mod for Impreza owners while they are saving up for their exhaust systems I'm told. Maybe the baffling is loose / on the way out? Unfortunately, I don't think the exhaust is on the way out, which would be the perfect excuse to the missus to splash out on a Buddyclub or Spoon system!
Has anyone heard anything like this, or got any ideas as to what can cause it? I thought I would post this in the Jap forum and not just in the Honda forum since we get a bit more traffic through here, and I suppose this kind of effect could happen to all kinds of cars, not just CTRs.
Thanks
Dave
beergibbon said:
My CTR always sounded nicer when cold, although I never pushed it till warmed up. Afraid that the noise doesn't last when the engine is warmed up.
Yeah that's the gutter, sounds better cold than warm, but as you say I never push it when it's cold either. The backbox is starting to look a little tatty on mine (not that you can see it unless you are almost lying on the ground!) but that's mild steel for you. It will be getting taken off and replaced with a new system some time next year, hopefully a Buddyclub catback or something 
An unsilenced 'B-Pipe' (section between the cat and the backbox) will give you this noise all the time, raspy but not massively louder and it's hard to tell the difference from inside while driving normally with the windows up. The only thing i will say is if you plan on getting an aftermarket backbox at a later date it will likely be very loud with an unsilenced B-Pipe, you can also buy larger bore silenced B-pipes which will give a slightly deeper tone but with little volume change over stock.
Unsilenced B-Pipes can be had from around £70/80 for a Supersprint one from Ebay so not expensive at all.
Unsilenced B-Pipes can be had from around £70/80 for a Supersprint one from Ebay so not expensive at all.
Edited by JamesEP3 on Wednesday 12th October 13:43
Just had a look under the car today, which is difficult in itself since (on level ground) I can't see how a grown man could fit under there and my car is at standard ride height! As suspected, it has an unsilenced B pipe, which I am pretty chuffed about. So, if I added a straight-through backbox, how loud would it get? Similar to an Impreza or Evo with an aftermarket system (loud but not teeth rattling) or will it wake the dead in a 5 mile radius?
Mastodon2 said:
Just had a look under the car today, which is difficult in itself since (on level ground) I can't see how a grown man could fit under there and my car is at standard ride height! As suspected, it has an unsilenced B pipe, which I am pretty chuffed about. So, if I added a straight-through backbox, how loud would it get? Similar to an Impreza or Evo with an aftermarket system (loud but not teeth rattling) or will it wake the dead in a 5 mile radius?
Scoobys are particularly loud on idle because of the thump in the exhaust note. You risk making it a bit of a droning sound I guess. You might want to put the resonator back and have a different back box (this is what I now have essentially)...beergibbon said:
My CTR was standard except for an induction kit and Spoon N1 backbox. Not sure if you have seen one but the box part is tiny so there is little sound deadening. I once got a complaint about the noise from a guy that lived on the moon...
I love the Spoon N1 sound, I would love an N1 backbox to slot onto my car. With the unsilenced B pipe though, I bet it would be ear-splittingly loud under load outside the car! Drone is not an issue, since I don't do motorway slogs, and I would retain the standard box, it's my neighbours I worry about 
paulmoonraker said:
You really ought to hear my new Blitz exhaust. Its comical. My O/H sent me a text the other day having borrowed the car - 'the car sounds like an aircraft'...
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